You are working with Valentino as its global ambassador since earlier this year. You must have a felt a closer connection with the brand as you interact more with it.
🐱 Flexibility is an important value for me when making music, and as I communicate and work with Valentino, I got the impression that it's a very flexible brand. That's why I enjoy collaborating with them. People around me also commented that its style suits my own, which is another aspect I'm happy about.
Which look did you like the most from today's photoshoot?
🐱 I liked the one with the beige cardigan and grey pants. I normally don't wear cardigans, but it felt quite nice on me. I learned a new way of dressing myself today.
What genre of music does Valentino make you think of?
🐱 Valentino has a rockstar vibe. It goes well with a thrilling, hard rock sound but recent collections feel more like trendy rock — rock music with a hint of hip-hop rather than drum based rock sound.
Now, let's talk about SUGA's music. Your solo world tour is coming up soon. What direction or concept are you thinking?
🐱 I've been preparing for the tour for such a long time now that the expression "direction" feels foreign to me. (laughs) My intention with this tour is not to realise my full potential nor to succeed as a solo artist. I think the current form of solo tour came about because it's physically impossible for all 7 of us to perform together now, which would be ideal. Our fans have waited for a tour for such a long time, and I wanted to pay them back in a way.
You've already travelled the whole world as a member of BTS, but I assume a tour by yourself will feel a lot different.
🐱 I focus even more on the live performance, because the other members' weight is on my shoulders. I tend to forget lyrics sometimes. (laughs) So I'm trying my best to memorise them.
Despite this being your first solo tour, you've already released mixtapes and collaborated with other musicians. Does your musical experience as a solo artist affect your work as BTS? I'm also curious if BTS's music affect your solo album as well.
🐱 The first premise for all my music work is to create BTS's music. This is an unchanging fact. Thus, my solo activities doesn't necessarily affect BTS's music, nor BTS's music affects solo work. Also, there is nothing I couldn't do as BTS when making music. I am simply someone who makes a lot of music. I just try to capture moments of musical inspirations as they come to me.
A lot of people paid attention to your usage of traditional Korean music in your works so far. You incorporated traditional Korean music in "Daechwita", the title track of your second mixtape, and also in the new album's title track "Haegeum." Was there an occasion where you decided to use traditional Korean music?
🐱 Be it traditional instruments, string instruments, or piano, they are all sounds and materials for creating music. I don't start making music with grand intentions. For "Daechwita", it began with a simple question: why not try turning this cool source into music? Sampling a military music "Daechwita" was a natural choice because of its title.
One of the genres we can't separate from you is hiphop. Producer Bang and P-Dogg have a deep understanding of black music and hiphop. How has this aspect influences BTS's music and your growth as a musician?
🐱 I grew up listening to hiphop music since I was little. It's a popular genre now, but it was rather unpopular at the time. Considering how hiphop is now one of the most influential genres in the music scene, Producer Bang and P-Dogg were really ahead of their time. However, I am a person who just makes popular music. I rap, but I don't think I'm a hiphop artist. I just do pop music. Of course, growing up listening to hiphop has help me understand popular music better.
BTS Cypher Part 1,2, and 3 still give me strong sensations. They contain genuine anger and intense energy from the deep down, as well as rap skills honed to prove yourselves. These tracks will go down in the history of Korean hiphop music. How do you feel about these tracks now?
🐱 I'm glad many people like them. I think I should've tone it down a little. Especially my part. (laughs) I had Han (a unique Korean term for sense of sorrow, regret and resentment) and wanted to show off what I was capable of. If you listen to more recent live performances of "BTS cypher", it sounds more natural as I took it down a notch. I'm not saying that I don't like intense music. I do have some pretty powerful tracks in my new solo album too. A part of me still loves music like "BTS cypher."
I heard you usually work with other artists via email. Is there a reason why you prefer to work this way?
🐱 I think the image of artists meeting together to work on music might be in the illusion media created. (laughs) It's rare to meet up, play instruments together, and record side-by-side. It's also rare for artists to meet up suddenly because a musical inspiration came to them. Of course, some artist work that way, but not me. I prefer working via email. Each artist can focus entirely on the work while maintaining their life pattern. It also saves time. Very efficient.
When BTS first debuted, people looked down on or spoke badly about idols, but now it's ridiculous to think that way. Do you feel that people see you differently?
🐱 I am an Idol and really proud of it. Of course, I might have said nonsenses before, but now the word "idol" is like a badge of honour to me. People's perception changed a lot recently, and I believe BTS did contribute to it. Most of the idols today are just "really good." That's the level idols are at right now. They are not just good-looking, but also good at dancing, singing, rapping, and even acting. They may not be a musician with a particular forte, but shift your perspective, and they are musicians without any shortcomings. Also, one of the charms about idols is that you can witness their growth after debut, album by album. Of course, watching a perfected musician is enjoyable, but watching awkward, cute idols gradually growing to be professionals is a lot of fun.
You probably experienced the most dramatic rise to success among the Korean artists, let alone idols. Many people can "exceed expectations," but only if you can climb up to the "top of the world."
🐱 When I was younger, I used to feel scared of success. As things started going beyond my expectations, I began to feel a sense of fear, but now I don't dwell on it too much. BTS as a team has its feet firmly on the ground. We don't live the life of so-called 'superstars'. We don't believe we're at the peak, and we know we could always go downhill too. Rather than striving and suffering to maintain a status, we choose to live gratefully, reminding ourselves that we have fans who support and cheer for us.
I'm curious on how you can be so calm.
🐱 I faced a lot of failures, and I think those failures altogether brought the success. I was so afraid of failing, but now I just focus on every moment of my life, thinking "so be it." How difficult life would be if it's always going up. I hope people don't suffer too much when they face a downhill in life.
BTS's huge achievement cannot be solely explained by numbers. What do you focus on in your achievements?
🐱 Isn't all things in life, including music, and even this interview, a communication between people? In the end, you can't really separate relationships from life. In both good and stressful moments, there are always "people."
I was curious about your meeting with Stephen Curry, the basketball player. Was there any remarkable episode from your meeting?
🐱 He is a very professional player. I've heard that he wouldn't finish his daily training, unless his routine is complete, and that was in fact true when I met him. His play on that day was amazing. Hip-hop and basketball are inseparable,aren't they? That's why I liked them both since I was little. Players I liked back then, like Allen Iverson and Damien Lillard, were all influenced by hiphop. That's why meeting Stephen Curry was even more enjoyable. I'm also more than happy to be working with the NBA.
BTS is constantly exploring new horizons, which will lead to new experiences. It makes me think that finding a balance will be ever more important. Perhaps maintaining a balance is what life is all about. I'm curious to hear if you have any tips on your own?
🐱 I consciously try to humble myself. That way, even in the worst cases, I can control myself by thinking, "I knew it" or "I wasn't good enough." I've been discussing this with the other members for quite some time. We say that we're nobody without our fans, so we have to work for the people who love us. I constantly remind myself that I always have a lot to learn to maintain a sense of balance. This does not mean that I'm striving and suffering to fill in the gap because I'm lacking. It's more like accepting and acknowledging it. Focusing on the fact that we can work for those who love us naturally makes us live a balanced life.
*these are not my translations nor do i claim they are mine. i merely typed out the english translations from the magazine scans*
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